The list of 30 athletes nominated for the 2026 world best athlete award was released this Tuesday by the Ballon d'Or organization. The award ceremony takes place on October 26, in London, England.
The choice of London as the host city was defined as a tribute to Stanley Matthews, the first Ballon d'Or winner, in 1956. Matthews, a former English striker, received the trophy created by journalist Gabriel Hanot at a simple ceremony held in Blackpool.
Since 2019, the ceremony had been held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Before that, the awards ceremony passed through other landmarks of the French capital, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Grand Palais. The exact venue for the 2026 edition in London has not yet been announced by the organizers.
Among the nominees are Selma Bacha (OL Lyonnes/France), Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride/Zambia), Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich/Germany), Esmee Brugts (Barcelona/Netherlands) and Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal/Spain), among other athletes.
